Lung cancer decisions — 2016

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining medical records from Dr. S.K. and ensuring all outstanding VA medical records are associated with the claims file.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development of the Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation and his service connection claim for lung cancer. The VA is instructed to obtain all relevant records, including personnel and treatment records from Germany and New Mexico, and seek a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's lung cancer.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding possible asbestos exposure and Agent Orange exposure during service, as well as a determination of whether the Veteran's lung cancer resulted from such exposures. The appeal is also remanded to determine if the USS Bordelon was present in inland waterways of Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of herbicide exposure and consideration of service connection on a presumptive basis due to burn pit exposure.

The Veteran's lung cancer is being reviewed for service connection, and the VA needs to verify if he was exposed to Agent Orange while aboard USS Francis Hammond in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that service connection is granted for the cause of the Veteran's death, as the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether his service-connected PTSD contributed to his death.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical opinions and treatment records. The Veteran's cause of death is being evaluated to determine if it was related to his military service.

The Veteran's death was caused by metastatic squamous cell lung cancer, which is presumed to be due to his exposure to Agent Orange during service. Therefore, the cause of death is granted as service-connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by metastatic lung cancer, which is presumed to have been caused by his in-service exposure to herbicide agents used in support of U.S. military operations in Thailand during the Vietnam era.

The VA medical opinion determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD did not cause or contribute substantially to his death from metastatic lung cancer.

The Veteran's cause of death, lung cancer, was not found to be related to his military service or any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's cause of death was due to non-small cell lung cancer, which the Board found not related to service. The claim for service connection for the cause of death is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an etiological opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically whether his exposure to jet fuel emissions caused or aggravated his renal cell cancer and/or lung cancer.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional service records and researching the Veteran's exposure to herbicides. The appeal will be considered in light of these developments.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for status post left upper lobectomy for lung cancer is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination. Additionally, his rib disorder needs to be evaluated and its relationship to his service-connected condition must be determined.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of non-small cell lung cancer, finding no evidence to support a nexus between his current condition and military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to ensure a complete record is available before deciding the claim of service connection for lung cancer, including exposure to asbestos and/or herbicides.

The Veteran's cancer and hepatitis C were not service-connected, and there is no evidence that they were caused by in-service exposure to herbicides. The Board finds the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's service-connected condition contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to assess the nature and etiology of his lung cancer, COPD, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's death is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and a VA examination. The lung disability issue is also being remanded due to its potential impact on the cause of death claim.